Method for optically detecting tooth mineralization

ABSTRACT

Described herein is non-grain composition, comprising at least a thermally inhibited or HMT waxy tapioca starch having a post-retort viscosity of less than 1500 centipoise. Such composition can be used for retort food applications, shelf-stable, thermally processed food applications, canned food applications: and/or aseptic packing and ultra-heat treated process food applications.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/773,526, filed Nov. 30, 2018, entitled NON-GRAIN COMPOSITIONSCOMPRISING THERMALLY INHIBITED AND/OR HEAT AND MOISTURE TREATED WAXYTAPIOCA, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to non-grain compositions comprising thermallyinhibited or heat moisture treated waxy tapioca and methods ofmanufacturing the same.

BACKGROUND

Consumers are asking for label friendly starches in food and beverageapplications. While there is a desire to create label-friendly starches,there is also a desire for such starches to have desirable performanceand functionality characteristics. Clean label starches having“thick-thin” and “thin-thick” viscosifying properties are also usefulfor food products need to be retorted. Furthermore, certain foodapplications, for example wet pet food applications, prefer starchesderived from non-grain sources.

SUMMARY

Described herein is non-grain composition, comprising at least athermally inhibited or HMT waxy tapioca starch having a post-retortviscosity of less than 1500 centipoise. Such composition can be used forretort food applications; shelf-stable, thermally processed foodapplications; canned food applications; and/or aseptic packing andultra-heat treated process food applications.

FIGURES

FIG. 1 provides pre and post retort data for the non-grain compositionscomprising thermally inhibited waxy tapioca described herein.

FIG. 2 provides heat penetration data for the non-grain compositionscomprising thermally inhibited waxy tapioca described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein is a label friendly, physically modified starchcomposition that can withstand retort applications. It shall beunderstood that the term “retort” is collectively meant to includeretort applications, acid shelf stable applications, and refrigeratorstable applications. The starch composition described herein is anon-grain composition which means the composition does not comprise anygrain sources. “Grain” is defined as caryopses of cereals and singleseed fruit of grasses are known as caryopses. The starch compositionsdescribed here are derived from non-grain sources. The non-graincomposition can be a starch composition and in other aspects can be aflour composition wherein they are derived from native waxy tapioca. Inother aspects, starch or flour composition derived from native tapioca,potato, waxy potato or highly phosphorylated (>900 ppm) potato or highlyphosphorylated (>900 ppm) waxy potato or SSIII mutant potato or SSIIImutant waxy potato or SSIII and BE1 double mutant potato or SSIII, BE1mutant waxy potato or short chain amylopectin waxy potato mutant (lackof or non-functional GBSS1 combine with deficient or non-functional SSIIand/or SSIII enzymes) or arrow root powder. In preferred aspects, thenon-grain composition is a starch composition.

The starch composition described herein comprises at least a thermallyinhibited (“TI”) or heat moisture treated (“HMT”) waxy tapioca starch.Note that the term “tapioca” may also be referred to as cassava, yucca,manioc, mandioca, or Brazilian arrowroot.

Such TI waxy tapioca and HMT waxy tapioca starch (also referenced hereinas just “TI waxy tapioca” and “HMT waxy tapioca”) are made starting withnative waxy tapioca starch. Such native waxy tapioca starch is extractedfrom waxy tapioca root through milling processes commonly known by thoseskilled in the art. A native waxy tapioca starch and water slurry isfirst prepared. The native waxy tapioca starch comprises about 35-30 wt% of the slurry. The pH of the slurry is adjusted to about 8.5 to 10.5using any alkaline source for example sodium carbonate. The slurry isthen dewatered to extract the pH adjusted tapioca and dried to 5-10%moisture content. Starch is then dehydrated for a time and at atemperature at 100 C-120 C sufficient to render the starch anhydrous orsubstantially anhydrous. Anhydrous or substantially anhydrous pHadjusted alkaline tapioca is heat treated to a temperature ranging from145 C-170 C to for a period of time ranging from about 0.5 to about 10hours to achiever thermal inhibition. Thermal inhibition is a physicalmodification process viewed more favorably amongst consumers as analternative to chemical modification. It shall be understood thatvarious technologies can be used to achieve thermal inhibition, forexample but not limited to fluidized bed reactor, paddle mixer reactor,vibrating spiral conveyor, microwave, and radiofrequency technologies.

HMT waxy tapioca is made by obtaining native waxy tapioca starch andadjusting its moisture content to a range of about 18 wt % to 25 wt %.The moisture adjusted waxy tapioca is heated to a temperature rangingfrom 110 C-130 C for about 0.5 to about 16 hours to obtain HMT waxytapioca. It shall be understood that various moisture and heattreatments can be used to achieve heat and/or moisture treatment and theaspect described herein in just one aspect. Typically, HMT processestake place at temperatures ranging from 40 C-150 C and result in amoisture content ranging from 10 wt % to 75 wt %.

The starch composition can further comprise other tapioca starchsources. For example, the starch composition can be a blend of TI andHMT waxy tapioca. In other examples, the TI or HMT waxy tapioca can beblended with native waxy tapioca, or native tapioca. In starchcompositions wherein additional tapioca sources are included, TI or HMTwaxy tapioca makes up at least 50% of total tapioca sources, inpreferred aspects at least 60% of total tapioca sources, in morepreferred aspects at least 70% of total tapioca sources, and in morepreferred aspects at least 80% total tapioca sources.

The starch composition can further comprise flour, non-tapioca, and/ornon-starch tapioca sources. For example, tapioca flour, gums (e.g.,xanthan gum), plant-derived fibers, for example legume fibers (e.g.,pea, lentil, bean) or vegetable fibers or pectin (e.g., tuber or root)or fruit fibers, or pectin (e.g., fruit pectin), methyl cellulose,hydroxypropylated methyl cellulose, hydrolyzed flour, soluble flour,instant starches, pregelatinized starch, or TI treated instant starches,beta amylase and/or alpha amylase treated starches or flour. In thesestarch compositions, TI or HMT waxy tapioca makes up at least 50% of theblend, in other aspects at least 60% of the blend, in other aspects atleast 70% of the blend, in other aspects at least 80% of the blend, andin other aspects at least 90% of the blend.

The starch composition or starch blends can further comprise a saltcomponent (e.g., salt, salt source, or salt ion), wherein the salt makesup about 0.1-5 wt % of the slurry. Salts can include but are not limitedto sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium richfibers (e.g., millet), nixtamalized starch or flour (starch or flourtreated with calcium source), starch or flour annealed (HMT) withcalcium salts, calcium oxide, or mixtures thereof.

The starch composition described herein demonstrates slow freeze thawstability and can survive at least one slow freeze thaw cycledemonstrating no syneresis. An aspect of such slow freeze thaw method isdescribed in U.S. Patent Publication US2017/0064978. Surprisingly, thestarch compositions described herein work well in retort applications asthey withstand retort processes and maintain viscosity through pre andpost retort. Notably, at least 30% of viscosity remains from pre-retortto post-retort, and in preferred aspects at least 40% of viscosityremains from pre-retort to post-retort, and in more preferred aspects atleast 50% of viscosity remains from pre-retort to post-retort.

The starch composition described herein typically has a post-retortviscosity of less than 1500 centipoise, less than 1400 centipoise, lessthan 1300 centipoise, less than 1200 centipoise, less than 1100centipoise, less than 1000 centipoise, less than 900 centipoise, lessthan 800 centipoise, less than 700 centipoise, less than 600 centipoise,less than 500 centipoise, less than 400 centipoise, less than 300centipoise, or less than 200 centipoise.

The starch composition is desirable for retort food applications. Forexample but not limited to, shelf-stable, thermally processed foodapplications, canned food applications, and pet food applications.

EXAMPLES Example 1: Retort Process and Results for CompositionComprising Thermally Inhibited Waxy Tapioca

The starch composition (indicated by the combinations in Table 1) ismade into a slurry, wherein the starch composition makes up 5% of theslurry and water makes up the remaining portion.

TABLE 1 Starch Composition 100% TI Waxy Tapioca (“TI WT”) 70% TI WaxyTapioca, 30% HMT Waxy Tapioca (“HMT WT”) 80% TI Waxy Tapioca, 20% NativeWaxy Tapioca (“NWT”) 70% TI Waxy Tapioca, 30% Native Tapioca (CreamTex ®70001) 50% TI Tapioca, 50% HMT Waxy Tapioca 70% TI Waxy Tapioca, 30%Tapioca Flour 90% TI Waxy Tapioca, 10% Xanthan Gum 90% TI Waxy Tapioca,10% Pea Fiber 85% TI Waxy Tapioca, 15% Citrus Fiber 60% TI Waxy Tapioca,10% Xanthan Gum 60% TI Waxy Tapioca, 40% TI Tapioca

Heat slurry to 170 F in a Vorwerk on 3.5 and hold for 5 minutes at 170F. Measure initial viscosity at 165 F using a Brookfield Viscometer(Model: Brookfield DV-II+Pro; Spindle: RV spindle #6; Pre-retort: 50rpm/165 F; Post-retort: 50 rpm/165 F). Fill 300×407 cans with 12/32'sheadspace and seam cans. Retort for 60 minutes at 250 F (Static) thencool to below 100 F. Collect heat penetration data (illustrated in FIG.2). Allow cans to equilibrate overnight and heat to 170 F in water bathunopened. Measure post retort viscosity at 165 F. Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5provide raw data for pre and post retort. FIG. 1 also demonstratespre-retort and post-retort data. As illustrated, the post-retortviscosity is at least 30% of the pre-retort viscosity. Furthermore, allstarch compositions survive at least one freeze-thaw cycle.

TABLE 2 usage Temp Sample- pre retort level Spindle RPM cp % F. 100% TIWT 5% 5 50 297.7 39.7 165 TI WT- 5% 6 50 343.6 17.8 165 70%/NativeTapioca- 30% TI WT - 5% 6 50 659.3 35.3 165 80%/NWT - 20% TI WT - 5% 650 1089 58.2 165 70%/HMT - 30% WT TI Tapioca - 5% 6 50 1331 72 16550%/HMT WT - 50%

TABLE 3 usage Temp Sample post retort level Spindle RPM cp % F. 100% TIWT 5% 5 50 156.7 20.9 165 TI WT-70%/ 5% 6 50 202.5 10.8 165 NativeTapioca-30% TI WT - 5% 6 50 245.6 13.1 165 80%/NWT - 20% TI WT - 5% 6 50455.5 24.4 165 70%/HMT - 30% WT TI Tapioca - 5% 6 50 560 28 165 50%/HMTWT - 50%

TABLE 4 usage Temp Sample- pre retort level Spindle RPM cp % F. TI WT-100 5.0% 5 50 317.2 42.2 165 TI WT + Tapioca flour- 5.0% 5 50 500.1 66.6165 70:30 TI WT + Xanthan gum- 5.0% N/A 50 N/A N/A 165 90:10 TI WT + Peafiber- 5.0% 5 50 205.5 27 165 90:10 TI WT + Citrus fiber- 5.0% 5 50374.7 51.8 165 85:15 TI WT + 99605- 5.0% 5 50 356.8 47 165 60:40

TABLE 5 usage Temp Sample- post retort level Spindle RPM cp % F. TI WT-100 5.0% 6 50 778 41.5 165 TI WT + Tapioca flour- 5.0% 6 50 673 36 16570:30 TIWT + Xanthan gum- 5.0% 6 50 1413 75.2 165 90:10 TI WT + Peafiber- 5.0% 6 50 892 47 165 90:10 TI WT + Citrus fiber- 5.0% 6 50 98252.3 165 85:15 TI WT + 99605- 5.0% 5 50 420.7 56 165 60:40

1. A method for detecting changes in dental tissue using circuitry and an Acoustic Phonon Mediated Optical Scattering (APMOS) spectrometer, the method comprising: using the APMOS spectrometer, capturing spectroscopic data from a location including dental tissue, wherein the spectroscopic data is based on inelastic scattering of light due to interaction with acoustic phonons in the dental tissue at the location; using the circuitry, identifying a spectral change of the spectroscopic data based on a comparison between the spectroscopic data and a baseline signal, wherein the spectral change corresponds to a difference in speed of sound in dental tissue due to a change in density at the location compared to the baseline signal; determining with the circuitry an assessment of a state of the dental tissue at the location based on the spectral change; and outputting the determined assessment of the state of dental tissue at the location.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the baseline signal comprises at least one of a frequency location of a feature of a waveform, a width in frequency of the feature of the waveform, or an amplitude of a particular frequency in the waveform.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the identification of the spectral change: using the APMOS spectrometer, capturing baseline spectroscopic data from a particular location including dental tissue, wherein the baseline spectroscopic data is based on inelastic scattering of light due to interaction with acoustic phonons in the dental tissue located at the particular location; and using the circuitry, establishing the baseline signal based on the captured baseline spectroscopic data from the particular location.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein: the particular location and the location comprise different anatomical locations on teeth of a patient; and the dental tissue of the particular location is known to have a decreased likelihood of demineralization compared to the dental tissue of the location.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein: the particular location and the location are located on a same tooth of the patient; or the particular location comprises multiple different locations on multiple different teeth of a patient.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein: the particular location comprises multiple different locations on teeth of a patient; and the baseline spectroscopic data comprises spectroscopic data captured from the multiple different locations; and the baseline signal is based off of the baseline spectroscopic data captured from the multiple different locations.
 7. (canceled)
 8. The method of claim 3, wherein the spectroscopic data comprises spectroscopic data from multiple different tooth locations; and for each of the multiple different tooth locations, the circuitry: identifies the spectral change of the spectroscopic data at the tooth location; determines the assessment of the state of dental tissue at the tooth location; and outputs the determined assessment of the state of dental tissue at the tooth location.
 9. The method of claim 3, wherein the spectral change comprises differences between the baseline spectroscopic data and the spectroscopic data include at least one of: frequencies present, amplitude of particular frequencies, location of a peak, or a width of a peak.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein: the determined assessment of the state of dental tissue identified at the location includes at least one of: a presence or state of dental caries; a status or level of mineralization; or a cause of the state of dental tissue at the location comprising an acid level and/or a calcium level; or the spectroscopic data is captured using polarized light.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: imaging the location using a light beam used in capturing the spectroscopic data; and displaying an overlay of the images of the location and a visual representative of the assessment of the state of dental tissue at the location.
 12. (canceled)
 13. An apparatus for detecting changes in dental tissue comprising: an Acoustic Phonon Mediated Optical Scattering (APMOS) spectrometer configured to capture spectroscopic data from a location including dental tissue, wherein the spectroscopic data is based on inelastic scattering of light due to interaction with acoustic phonons in the dental tissue at the location; circuitry configured to: identify a spectral change of the spectroscopic data based on a comparison between the spectroscopic data and a baseline signal, wherein the spectral change corresponds to a difference in speed of sound in dental tissue due to a change in density at the location compared to the baseline signal; determine an assessment of a state of the dental tissue at the location based on the spectral change; and output the determined assessment of the state of dental tissue at the location.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the baseline signal comprises at least one of a frequency location of a feature of a waveform, a width in frequency of the feature of the waveform, or an amplitude of a particular frequency in the waveform.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: the APMOS spectrometer is further configured to capture baseline spectroscopic data from a particular location including dental tissue; and the circuitry is further configured to establish the baseline signal based on the captured baseline spectroscopic data from the particular location.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: the particular location and the location comprise different anatomical locations on teeth of a patient; and the dental tissue of the particular location is known to have a decreased likelihood of demineralization compared to the dental tissue of the location.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: the particular location and the location are located on a same tooth of the patient; or the particular location comprises multiple different locations on multiple different teeth of a patient.
 18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: the particular location comprises multiple different locations on teeth of a patient; and the baseline spectroscopic data comprises spectroscopic data captured from the multiple different locations; and the baseline signal is based off of the baseline spectroscopic data captured from the multiple different locations.
 19. (canceled)
 20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the spectroscopic data comprises spectroscopic data from multiple different tooth locations; and for each of the multiple different tooth locations, the circuitry is further configured to: identify the spectral change of the spectroscopic data at the tooth location; determine the assessment of the state of dental tissue at the tooth location; and output the determined assessment of the state of dental tissue at the tooth location.
 21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the spectral change comprises differences between the baseline spectroscopic data and the spectroscopic data include at least one of: frequencies present, amplitude of particular frequencies, location of a peak, or a width of a peak.
 22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the determined assessment of the state of dental tissue identified at the location includes at least one of: a presence or state of dental caries; a status or level of mineralization; or a cause of the state of dental tissue at the location comprising an acid level and/or a calcium level; or the spectroscopic data is captured using polarized light.
 23. The apparatus of claim 13: further comprising an image sensor configured to image the location using a light beam used in capturing the spectroscopic; and wherein the circuitry is configured to display an overlay of the images of the location and a visual representative of the assessment of the state of dental tissue at the location.
 24. (canceled) 